Late last week, leaders in the Oklahoma CSS caught wind of a troubling development for the social studies in their state. The Oklahoma State Senate Committee on Education created a substitute bill calling for the elimination of required social studies assessments for grades 5 and 8 that were included in the bill's original version.
NCSS is pleased to report that, thanks to the leaders and OCSS members who coordinated an email campaign to emphasize the importance of state social studies assessments and urge reconsideration, the author of the bill offered another amendment that will restore the original language of the bill and sustain social studies assessments at their current level in Oklahoma.
NCSS would like to applaud those who coordinated and participated in this effort.
The OCSS has set an encouraging example for all of us. Their success shows that staying informed, decisive action from council leaders and active participation from members can change the course of legislation that jeopardizes the social studies.
Visit the OCSS website to read a press release from the council president about the series of events and the stance that the OCSS took: